India to buy C-17 Globemaster heavy lift transport aircraft

The much-awaited order for the American C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force will be cleared this month.

The IAF's order for 10 aircraft is expected to cost some Rs. 18,000 crore (roughly $4 billion).

The Ministry of Defence has given the go-ahead for the purchase of these aircraft from the U.S. through the Foreign Military Sales (government-to-government) route.

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster will augment the IAF's inventory, which recently went up with the induction of the C130J Super Hercules transport aircraft from another U.S. company Lockheed Martin.

These aircraft would allow the IAF to swiftly move a greater number of troops and materials than its existing transport fleet of AN-32 and Il-76 'Gajraj,' inducted more than two decades ago.

Two years ago, India ordered eight long-range maritime patrol aircraft P8I at $2.1 billion, and there has already been talk of a follow-up order for four more aircraft. Boeing is developing the P8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft for the U.S. and has offered the Indian Navy a variant of it. These purchases are in addition to the CB105 Sensor Fused Weapons for the IAF ordered from Textron Defense Systems, valued at $380 million.